The numbers will be much the same to last year but the storylines will be very different as the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby gets underway at Shelbourne Park this evening. What is to come in the next six weeks will excite, delight and stay long in the memory of those who love their greyhound sport with it all coming to a dramatic conclusion on the biggest night of the year, Saturday, September 2nd.
A total of 156 names went into the hat on Monday for the opening round draw, meaning there will be 57 races in total through the Derby. 26 of those races will come in the next two nights as the field is reduced to 96 ahead of the second round. From then on, the field will be halved each week leaving the final six to battle it out for the €125,000 winner’s purse on Derby final night. It really is the pinnacle of the greyhound racing year, much like Cheltenham to those who follow horse racing or the All-Ireland finals for those in GAA circles.
But what will land the most valued prize in Irish greyhound racing? In any normal year, that is not an easy question to answer but it seems even more difficult in 2023 as the Derby field is as deep as any in recent memory.
Graham Holland is chasing a fourth title and is clearly throwing all his firepower at the classic, sending out seventeen runners in total. That is over ten percent of the total entry. His Riverside Kennels outfit are only getting over the celebrations following the success of Gaytime Nemo in the English equivalent at Towcester on the first day of this month.
He bids to complete an unprecedented double in the coming weeks. Only Toms The Best has won both the Irish and English Derby, doing so in ‘97 and ’98, but no greyhound has done the double in the same year. If he were to achieve it, he would be forever remembered as one of the greats. It’s a huge ask, however. In fact, he is not even the leading hope from his kennel. Instead, that honour would go to the likes of Swords Rex, Clona Duke or Clonbrien Treaty.
All three have outstanding claims of going deep, and were luck to stay on their side, they could provide Holland with another Derby crown.
The favourite for outright glory is from a different kennel, however. Michael O’Donovan has steered both Judicial Pride and Laughil Blake to Derby success in the past and he will be aiming to do so with the sensational Coolavanny Hoffa.
He was a hot favourite to win last year’s Derby only to find bad traffic in the semis. Incredibly, that was his last start, some ten and a half months ago. It’s asking a lot for him to come back after such a break to beat this exceptional field but if any dog can do it, it’s the son of Droopys Sydney. He faces an easy opening round assignment and can cement his place at the head of the market with a facile success this evening.
Others that seem likely to confirm their obvious Derby claims over the next two nights include Ballinabola Ed, Swords Rex, Optic Chico, Up The Style, Trinity Junior, Ballymac Marino, De Lahdedah, Clonbrien Treaty, Scaglietti and many others.
It really is the greatest few weeks of the year and you can expect plenty of thrill, spills and plot twists along the way. The best of luck to all.
While the Derby will understandably attract most of the attention over the coming six weeks, the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup is also in full flow at Dundalk and tomorrow night’s third round should see some of the best sprinters in the land post some fast times.
Road Exile remains unbeaten in the stake and looks the part in the opening heat. Who Have I went fastest of the second round scorers last weekend an is the one to beat in the Heat 2, although both the Produce Stakes winner Burgess Supreme and Hawkfield Ava are seen as big dangers.
Get It Right will be a red-hot favourite to continue the unbeaten start to his career in the penultimate heat. He is four from four and can dominate to make it five at the expense of Rathdown Molly.
The final heat is a more open affair but Carrick Aldo and Hot Rod can emerge from the pack to battle out the finish. The former makes slightly more appeal from the draw.
